Israel Study Tour

It is our last day in Galilee. After breakfast and loading the bus, Bob Burns prayed us off. Michelle Bourne is back with us. We are going to scale the Cliffs of Arbelle this morning. It sounds a little scary. Some of the group is choosing not to do the climb. Cindy, lead us in a map Geek moment at the top of the cliffs. The Sea of Galilee is laid out below us. We can see Mount Tabor and the Horns of Hattim as well as the Plain of Ginnesaur. We can also spot the International Coastal Highway. Cindy tells us that when Herod put down the rebellion by Jewish Zealots, he also conquered the Galilee. The Zealots hid in caves tucked into the Cliffs of Arbelle. The Roman soldiers went down the cliff face in baskets and dropped fire into the caves and when the people tried to get out the Romans threw them over the edge. We launched on our own perilous climb. Holding on to metal hand holds we scaled sheer cliff walls descending the cliff face some more terrified than others. In fact part of the group began to do the bravest version of the Hokey Pokey probably ever executed. Perhaps the heights made them defy sanity. We came to safer places on the hill with some descending further down the face and others headed up to explore other paths and duck into the caves. We all ended the hot climb with popsicles and cold water.
On the bus, and off the bus at Zippori. This was a Roman planned city. This city lived in relative peace. So much so that after the destruction of the temple in 70 AD, Jewish power moved here. The Mishnah (oral law) was compiled here. There was a puzzling mosaic on the floor of a very beautiful excavated synagogue. It showed a well preserved Zodiac sign with Helios, the pagan Sun God in his chariot. We paused to wonder questions of syncretism or had the pagan symbols lost their meaning so much that it simply signified a calendar. This Mosaic was from the 4th and 5th century. There were basket of fruits and bread animals, menorah and incense shovels, a lion of Judah a dedicatory inscription, and perhaps most shocking of all, the words of God right on the floor. Considering how guarded scripture had been for the Jews, it showed a journey that now it was not blasphemous to walk on those words. We went into the theatre which had beautiful stone carving, and wondered if Joseph were working here when he moved to Nazareth and met Mary. The Greek word we translate carpenter could be translated stone mason as well. Cindy invited us up the hill where we ascended the crusader fortress and from the roof had another map Geek moment. We spotted Cana, the town where Josephus betrayed, the faint blue of Carmel and talked about Tiglath Pileaser III, the Syrian King who conquered Israel.
We ate beside some famous pools. Some dangled there feet while others went in for a full swim. We continued on to Bethshan, which is the only Decapolis city on the west side of the Jordan. It was a huge city more expansive than we had experienced before. You could feel the power of Rome as you walked on the cardo with its gorgeous pillars and say in the amphitheatre. This is the area where Saul and Jonathon were killed. Their heads would have been posted on spikes. The me of Jabesh Gilead rescued the heads and gave the royal family a proper burial. Amy Flack led us in a devotional in which she wanted us to memorialize Saul. She called us to remember all the beautiful things he had done especially saving the men of Jabesh Gilead from having their eyes poked out by Nahash the conqueror. We strolled the city for a while, and then headed home.
The air conditioner broke down on the bus. It was extremely uncomfortable. In pain the group began to sing cold songs, particularly of the Christmas variety. I don’t know that it helped, but we laughed.
Before dinner we had a certificate receiving ceremony with applause and thanks. We presented gifts to Cindy and to Deb Kielsmeier, and Debbie Ducar. We knew it was our last night as a whole group. Some were returning home, and some were headed to Jordan. It was bitter sweet. We really became comrades to each other on a fantastic adventure that was changing us. As we wandered the city that night, it was with delight that we caught sight of each other and are already promising reunion.